Ogun to sell branded rice

Oluwatosin Alalade

3 weeks ago

Ogun State government has concluded plans to release locally-produced branded rice by December.

Its Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo, disclosed this during an inspection of the first phase of rice harvested in one of its farms at Eggua in Yewa North Local Government Area of the state. According to her, it forms part of the measures to ensure food security.

Adebajo said the state had begun harvesting 30 hectares of the 100 hectares of rice farm, and it would be ready for distribution by December, after all due processes had been followed.

Aside, hundreds of hectares of rice plantations are said to be on the verge of being harvested at the IFAD Value Chain and FADAMA farms across the state.

She said: “The rice will be of the best quality because the government provided the farmers with most improved variety of seedlings. They will be in our local Ofada, Nerica and Faro 44.

A farmer, Olugbenga Popoola thanked the state government for land clearing, provision of improved seedlings and fertilisers, among others.